Ban Ki-Moon urges to provide vital units, aviation to Darfur forces
January 3, 2008 (UNITED NATIONS) — UN chief urged international community to speed up delivery of vital units and equipment for the newly launched hybrid peacekeeping force set up to stem the violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.
UN officials and diplomats say no country has made a credible offer to provide the 24 helicopters, including six helicopter gunships, needed for the 26,000-strong force, whose mission is already clouded by lack of full commitment by the Sudanese government.
The African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID), which formally took over from the existing AU operation on Monday, still only has some 9,000 uniformed personnel on the ground and lacks “critical aviation capabilities,” Ban Ki-Moon says in a report to the Security Council.
“Furthermore, the Government does not appear to have fully embraced the fact that a robust and effective UNAMID will contribute towards Darfur’s long-term stability,” he writes.
Meanwhile, continuing rebel activity, including attacks on Government forces and oil installations and assaults on and hijackings of humanitarian vehicles, all underscore the uncertain circumstances under which UNAMID is being launched, he adds in the report, which is dated 24 December and was released today.
Despite these challenges UNAMID will make every effort to make maximum use of its current limited resources and personnel, including a “more forward-leaning posture,” increased patrolling and enhanced outreach to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and humanitarian activities.
“Nevertheless, this change in approach cannot replace the thousands of troops and police officers and vital equipment which will not arrive until later in 2008. This is a particularly worrying scenario given the ongoing insecurity in Darfur, and the very strong possibility that the Mission will be tested by spoilers in the early stages,” the UN Secretary General says.
Authorized by the Security Council in July, UNAMID will have some 20,000 troops and more than 6,000 police and civilian staff at full deployment. Currently, there are more than 9,000 uniformed personnel on the ground, including 7,000 troops and 1,200 police serving with the AMIS, as well as UN soldiers and police officers serving as part of the UN’s “heavy” and “light support packages” deployed to support AMIS over the last year.
More than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes since fighting began in 2003 between Government forces and rebel groups.
Ban notes that the effective functioning of UNAMID will also be highly dependent on the ability of the UN and AU to work with the Government to rapidly resolve the complex technical issues related to its deployment.
“It is paramount that all parties commit themselves to an end to violence and a cessation of hostilities,” he writes.
Sudanese government is still objecting the non-African troops. The international body insists on the critical need for an infantry battalion from Thailand, a Special Forces unit from Nepal and an engineering unit from the Nordic countries.
Khartoum says the initial agreement over the hybrid force stipulates African troops with the logistical and technical support of the UN. President al-Bashir says he just accepts troops from China and Pakistan.
(ST)